Different Home Heating Systems

Do you know that in the early days home heating was achieved through simple means like a fireplace? But with time and advancement in technology, home heating has come a long way? With the numerous options available today home heating has become more efficient. You can now heat your home and feel comfortable even when the temperature outside is sub-zero. In fact, with many choices available in the market choosing the right kind of heating system for your home could be quite challenging but if you are aware of the different kinds of heating systems available along with their pros and cons, choosing a heating system might seem a little simple.

Now let us have a look at the different heating systems available.

Furnaces are considered the most common ways of heating a home. The heating of home in a furnace takes place by blowing heated air through a duct system. The other name for furnace is “forced-air” heating systems and the best thing about furnaces is that they run on different kinds of fuel like natural gas, oil, and electricity. It is true that furnaces are cost effective options but their cost largely varies on the kind of fuel that is used.

Radiant heating systems on the other hand provide more natural and comfortable heating to homes. The source of heat in case of radiant heat is the in-floor hot water tubing or a potbelly stove. Besides there are also other sources that provides radiant heating to a home. In radiant heating, the heat gets directly transferred from a hot surface to a cold one.

Boilers are another kind of heating systems used in homes. Unlike furnaces, boilers distribute the heat through hot water. This hot water gives up heat as it passes through radiators and the result is that the whole room is heated. The next step is that the cooler water returns to the boiler to be reheated. The other name that is commonly used for boilers is hydronic systems and the fuel used in boilers for the heating purpose is natural gas or heating oil.

Another way of heating your homes is heat pumps. The heat pumps use refrigerant to absorb heat from outside sources like the air, the ground, or a water body. Once the heat is absorbed from such a source, the next step is to use a heat exchanger to transfer the heat. The common kinds of heat pumps used by homeowners are air or ground source heat pumps. Here it needs to be mentioned that though heat pumps are more expensive than a lot of other home heating options but they allow considerable energy savings.

Lastly, it can be concluded saying that the end result of all these heating options is to heat your home and make the temperature inside comfortable. But not all heating options may be suitable for you so it is better to get in touch with an HVAC contractor who will help you in deciding the most suitable heating option for your home.